BETHESDA, Md. — The best of Tiger Woods came Friday when his game was falling apart.

Woods lived up to his hopes of being a “greedy host” when he salvaged his round during a shaky stretch in the middle and shot 4-under-par 66 to take a one-shot lead at his AT&T National with the lowest 36-hole score ever at Congressional Country Club.

“Either I hit it pretty close to the hole, within 10 feet, or I was missing greens,” Woods said. “So it was a little bit of two ends today. It was nice to actually get a score out of it.”

Woods was at 10-under 130, breaking by one shot the previous 36-hole score at Congressional set last year by Tom Pernice Jr. and Jeff Overton. Woods had a one-shot lead over Rod Pampling, who had a 64 to boost his chances of qualifying for the British Open.

Defending champion Anthony Kim couldn’t build on his course-record 62 from the opening round. He played in the afternoon, after Woods set the target, and caught him briefly before missing too many fairways and having to settle for a 70 that put him two behind.

Jim Furyk, adding more star power to the leaderboard, had a 67 and was alone in fourth.

Perhaps more daunting than Woods’ record two-day score is his record on the PGA Tour when he has at least a share of the 36-hole lead. He is 31-6, having won from that spot the past 11 times, dating to 2004 at the Byron Nelson Championship.

New faces in lead

SYLVANIA, Ohio — Laura Diaz barely remembers the last time she led an LPGA Tour event. Sarah Kemp never had. Now those two unlikely front-runners head into the weekend chased by a strong group of pursuers at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

With a surprise leap, Diaz tied Kemp for the second-round lead Friday with a birdie on her final hole. Winless in her past 168 LPGA Tour starts, Diaz looked discouraged with a 12-foot birdie putt halfway to the final hole but then hopped in celebration when it fell in the side door.

“I was shocked,” she said, laughing, when asked about her lack of elevation on her jump. “I looked silly.”

The putt capped a 4-under 67 and a share of the lead with Kemp, who shot a 63, at 11-under 131.

Morgan Pressel had a 68 and was a shot back. She acknowledged that the tournament was there to be taken.

The Associated Press

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